Michael Sheen, Lizzy Caplan crowned ‘Masters of Sex’ by Showtime

Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan have landed the lead roles in Showtime’s titillatingly titled drama pilot “Masters of Sex.”

Showtime announced on Thursday (February 2) that Sheen will play William Masters and Caplan will be Viginia Johnson in “Masters of Sex,” which focuses on the “human sexuality pioneers.”

Masters and Johnson began their research at Washington University in 1957, culminating in the publication of the seminal — pun horribly intended — texts “Human Sexual Response” and “Human Sexual Inadequacy,” published in 1966 and 1970. The Showtime series is an adaptation of Thomas Maier’s “Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, The Couple Who Taught America How To Love.”

“Masters of Sex” will begin production in New York in March with John Madden (“Shakespeare in Love,” not the football guy) directing and Michelle Ashford, Judith Verno, and Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly executive producing.

Sheen is stepping in for Paul Bettany, who was originally cast in the pilot. We’d like to say that he’s best known for films like “The Damned United,” “Frost/Nixon” and his Tony Blair trilogy, but realistically popular audiences know him from the “Twilight” and “Underworld” films, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Caplan’s TV credits include a current arc on “New Girl” as well as regular roles on “Party Down,” “The Class” and “Related.” She was recently up at Park City for the Sundance premieres of the features “Bachelorette” and “Save the Date.”

Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan?? Thats pretty stellar casting. Sheen was also pretty great in Midnight in Paris this summer.

Actually, the more I think about it, this is pretty big for Sheen. He has almost exclusively done movies, with the exception of his stint on 30 Rock, so I see this is as a pretty big coup for Showtime.

As for Lizzy Caplan… she can do no wrong. I love that she is getting a chance like this. As much as I loved seeing her on New Girl, this sounds much more her type of show.

By: Shitegeist

02.02.2012 @ 9:09 PM

I’m not particularly interested in the subject matter of this show, but I’m excited for it purely based on casting. Sheen and Caplan are two of my cult favourites.